Festivals that Still Feel Real

For Johannes, playing Alcatraz wasn’t just another date on the tour. He lit up when talking about how the Belgian festival is one of the few remaining independent, grassroots events in Europe. “A lot of the big players get bought up by even bigger players, and it becomes quite corporate. But Alcatraz still feels independent and has a really strong culture around it.”

That independence, Johannes explained, is why festivals like Alcatraz are so vital for the future of metal. “This was our first headline slot at a European festival,” he said. “These kinds of festivals invest in the future of metal. They give us a chance before everybody else, and that’s so valuable.”

He compared Alcatraz’s support to what Tuska Festival did years ago for Gojira, putting them on a big stage before their Olympic-level breakthrough. “Those kinds of stepping stones elevate all of us,” Johannes said.

A Tenth Album Full of Twists

The big tease of the talk was Avatar’s tenth studio album. Johannes, playfully calling himself a “good boy” for not revealing the title too early, did share hints about its sound and spirit.

Compared to 2023’s Dance Devil Dance, which was direct and chorus-driven, this new record allows songs to stretch, twist, and breathe. “With Dance Devil Dance it was like, ‘bam, bam—let’s get to the chorus. This time, some songs were allowed to take a bit more space and take more twists and turns.”

Vocally, he leaned into melody and dynamic range, with a surprising source of inspiration. “Every time we work on new music, I listen to a lot of Judas Priest,” he laughed. “Not just the screams—but how Rob Halford drives a song rhythmically. I tried to do that. I failed… and did something else instead. But it sounds cool.”

One standout track, “In the Airwaves,” ended up being the fastest Avatar song in over 15 years. “We didn’t sit down and say, ‘let’s make our fastest song. It just came out that way. Someone said, ‘dude, you need to play faster,’ and suddenly we had it.”

Beyond speed, the album is also more personal. “There are certain topics you would feel way too naked to approach when you’re in your twenties,” Johannes admitted. “Too many shields are up. But with time, those shields come down. That vulnerability seeps into both the music and the lyrics.”

Why Make Records At All?

One of Johannes’ most striking points was about the purpose of making albums. For him, it has to be about more than just paying the bills.

“If the only reason to make an album is so you can tour and sell t-shirts, then you can slow down the band and get another job on the side,” he said bluntly. “We make albums because they feel artistically necessary. Because the music excites us.”

He also views the live stage as the second half of the creative process: “Only when you bring songs to life with an audience will you truly discover what an album is.”

Metal, Culture, and Keeping the Lights On

Johannes also addressed the bigger cultural issues facing heavy music today. He pointed to the closures of beloved venues in cities like Helsinki, where noise complaints and gentrification are pushing live music out of city centers.

“You kill the inner city life. And then people wonder why the kids are just sitting at home scrolling their phones.”

For him, venues aren’t just businesses, they’re part of the city’s heartbeat. “Live music is culture, nightlife, community. It belongs in the heart of cities. People don’t realize what they had until it’s gone.”

Looking Ahead

The future is packed for Avatar. Headline shows, festival appearances, and tours across Europe, North America, Latin America, and Australia are all in the works. The band is also championing new talent, including Alien Weaponry, whom Johannes praised for both their riffs and their cultural ambassadorship.

“They kick ass, they make your neck hurt and on top of that, they’re keeping their language alive. That extra layer makes them great and valuable.”

As for the new record, Johannes is keeping the name locked up… for now. “If you interviewed me in a week, maybe I could tell you,” he teased. “But I’ve been a good boy this time.”

And with that, we said our goodbyes to Johannes, but not before told us to be having a date with some undisclosed brand energy drinks to make it through the long day ahead of their late show that day and reminded us to do our household chores (“empty your dishwasher!”).

Sadly, due to technical issues, the recorded video was lost, but we still wanted to give you the chance to hear Johannes‘ every word and joke as we found the whole conversation pretty entertaining and put the audio on our channel.

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